Latch device



Aug. 1s, 1959 .A

A. 1 PELclN LATCH DEVICE Filed July 12, 1957 INVENTOR. AME/97' Pac/N HUUR/v5 ys United States Patentl LATCH DEVICE Albert L. Pelcin, Maple Heights, Ohio, assigner to The Eastern Malleable Iron Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of l,Connecticut lAppiicano'n'*July 12, 1957, serial No. 671,609

s Claims. (C1. 292-173) This invention relatesto latch devices of the kind intended for mounting in a substantially ilush relation in 'a surface opening of 'a door or the like.

An object of this invention is .to provide such a llush type latch device which comprises relatively few parts adapted to lbe rapidly and economically produced as by suitable die operations, and which can be quickly and easily Aassembled without need for any welding operations which wouldV be damaging to the appearance andfflnish of the device.'

Another object is toprovide such la flush type latch device having nested pan and housing members and a swingable actuating handle located in a recess of ,the pan member, and in which the pan and housing members areconnected by a transverse pin extending therethrough and also forming a hinge pin for the handle.

y A Vfurther object is to provide a latch device of the kind Yabove indicated in which the pan member has a pairyof' side walls embraced by a pair of side Walls of the housing member, and i n which the connecting means for the pan and housing members comprises openings in oneV pair of lthe side walls and embossments on the other pair of sidewalls and; having a snap engagement.

in such openings.

Still another object :is troiprovide such a latch device having a bolt' slidable in a guideway formed between ,ad-

pan member and engageable with oppositely extending.

thrust portions of the bolt. n

Other objects and advantages of this invention Will be apparent inthe following detailed description and in the accompanying drawing forming a part of the present specification, andinwhich Y n y, Y

;Fig. 1 isa front elevation yshowing the latch .device of the present invention applied toga door. Y A

Fig. Zjis a rear elevation ofthe latch device showing the same in a detached relation. Y

Fig. 3 Vis an end elevation of the latch device asseen from the bolt end thereof. n *Y j A Fig'.v 4` is a transverse vertical section taken through the latch device as indicated by section'line 4--4 .of Fig. 2. t s

Fig. 5 is va larger scale longitudinal ysection taken on section line 5-*5 of Fig. l, and Y Fig. 6 `is a fragmentary l-ongitudinalsection taken on section line `6`6 vof 5 Yand further illustrating the assembly connections for the major components.

The accompanying drawing 'illustrates one practical embodiment of the latch device 10 and shows the same mounted on aswingable door 11. The latch device "10 comprises in general. a pair of connected pan and'hous- 2,900,204 Patented Aug. 18, 1959 ice ing members 12 and 13 providing a guideway -14, a bolt 15 movable in the guideway, and a swingable actuating member or handle 116 for causing actuation of the bolt.

The pan member 12 comprises a formed mounting plate having a laterally extending marginal ange 18, and a pan portion 19 rearwardly offset from the plane of `such flange and containing a recess 20. The pan member 12 is here shown as being of a quadrangul-ar plan shape and the pan portion 19 vis likewise of a quad-r rangular plan shape.

The latch device 10 is mounted on the door 1-1 by means of suitable attaching screws 21 which extend through openings Aof the flange v18 `and secure the latter against the front surface 11a of the door. The door is here shown as having a surface opening 23 therein of a lsuitable size and shape, and into or through which, the pan portion 19 projects. Y v

The pan member 12 can be produced by any appropriate equipment and manufacturing operations but is preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping. lThe marginal ange 18. The pan portion 19 alsohas spaced side walls '25 and spaced end walls 27 and 28. For a purpose which will appear hereinafter,the bottom wallv 24 is provided with a pair of longitudinal slots 29 communicating with the guideway 14 and located adjacent the side walls 25. The pan portion 19 also has a pair of Alaterally aligned holes 31 provided in the side walls 25 at a point spaced from the end wall 27, and a pair of laterallyfaligned locking recesses or holes 32 provided in the side walls 25 at a point which is relatively'more remote from the end wall 27.

The housing member 13 is a hollow member which is applied to the pan portion 19 on therear or exterior side thereof, such that the pan and -housing members are in a nested relation as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 with the' pan portion extending into the recess or pocket of the housing member. substantially at bottom wall 35, a pair of side walls 36, and an end wall 38.A When the housing member 13 and the pan portion 19 -are in the above-mentioned nested relation, the side walls 36 of the housing member embrace the pan portion and lie against the side walls`25 thereof as shown in Fig 4. The lbottom walls 24 and 35 of the pan and housing members 12 and l13 are in a spaced-apart relation such yas to provide therebetween the above-mentioned guideway 14 to 'accommodate the bolt 15.

The housing member 13 is preferably in the form of a sheet metal stamping with the side `and end walls 36 and 38 thereof formed as anges on this member. The end wall 38 is provided with an opening 41 which communicates with one end of the guideway 14. At the other end of the housing member 13, the bottom wall 3S yis provided with a guide lug 42 extending toward the bottom wall 24 of the pan member and which projects into the guideway 14 crosswise thereof. The bottom wall '35 is also provided with -a pair of slots 43 which communicate with the guideway y14 and lie substantially opposite the slots 29 of the pan portion 19.

For use in connecting the pan and housing members 12 and 13, the side walls 36 of the housing member are provided with a pair of laterally aligned holes 44 `spaced from the end wall 38 and, 'at a point more remote from this end wall, are provided with -a of laterally aligned holding progections or embossments 4'5 as ishown in Figs. 4 and 6. These embossments are located on the side walls 36 so as to be engageable in the locking recesses 32 of the side walls of the pan member. The embossments 45 are formed by metal of the side walls 36which The housing member 13. has a has been displaced therefrom by a die operation in the nature of a swaging or shearing operation.

The bolt 15 is here shown as being in the shape of a cross and having a locking portion 15a which projects. from the guideway 14 through the end opening 41 of the housing member 13 and is engageable with a striker plate (not shown) when the door 11'is swung to its closed position.V The bolt 15 also comprises a pair of laterally extending thrust arms`46 and 47 which project from the sidesof bolt in a substantially right-angle relation thereto andlie'between the slots 29 of the pan member 12 and theis'lots 43 'of' the housing member 13. The bolt 15 also includes a forked portion 40 comprising a pair of longitudinal fork arms 48 and 49 which project from the housing member 13 in straddling relation to the guide lug' 42. The fork arms 48 and 49 are separated by a longitudinal slot forming a spring recess 50.

vFrom the construction and arrangement above de- ScribedfOr the bolt 15, it will be seen that this member isslidable in the guideway 14 and is retained therein against lateral shifting, by a guided movement of the bolt projection y15a in the opening 41 and also by the guiding cooperation of the lug 42 with the fork arms 48 and 49. Acompresrsion spring 51 located in the spring recess 50 is effective against theguide lug 42 and against the bolt 15 f'fo r normally urging the latter in a direction to project thevybeolt portion 15a outwardly from the housing member 13.

The handle 16 is preferable in the form of a plate member or` sheet metal stamping having a substantially at plate portion 53 which normally is in a substantially ulsh relation to the top of the marginal flange 18. The handle 16 also comprises a pair of edge flanges 55 carried bythe' plate'portion 53 and extending rearwardly therefrom. Additionally, the handle 16 comprises a pair of actuating projections or fingers 56 formed as integral projections of the edge anges'55.

The handle 16 is located in the recess 20 of the pan portion "`,19 and is swingably fulcrumed on a transverse hinge pin 58 which extends through a pair of aligned holes y60 of the edge anges 55. In its assembled relation" in the pan member 12, the handle 16 is disposed Withfits 'actuating ngers 56 extending through the pairs of slots 29 and 43' and across the guideway 14, as shown inFig.

The fingers 56 are engaged by the thrust arms- 46 and 47 f of the bolt 15 and, during swinging of the handle outwardlyyofthe recess 20 of the pan member 19, the fingers 'impart a retracting movement to the bolt and causefmoveme'nt thereof inwardly of the guideway 14 in opposition' to the spring 5. When the handle 16 is released, the spring 51 will impart an outward movement to the bolt which, in turn, will cause an inward swinging movement of the handle to its normally flush position shown in Fig. 5. The return swinging movement of the handle is limited by the engagement of the straight back edges," 62 of the iingers S6 with the transverse end walls 63'of the slots 43 for locating the plate portion 53 of the handle in the above-mentioned substantially ush relation to the marginal flange 18.

lAs 'shown in the drawings, the handle 16 is relatively shorter than the pan portion 19 so as to leave an accessV passager'64 lfor the insertion of the operators iinger, or fingers, beneath the plate portion 53 for imparting outward swinging movement to the handle. At the free end of the handle the plate portion 53 thereof is preferably provided with a curved edge portion or flange 65 for the comfort of the operator in applying actuating thrust tol the handle. At the hinged end of the handle the plate portion 53 4is provided with a curved reinforcing weby portion 66 which extends transversely between the edge anges 54 and 55.

Oneof the features Vof thepresent invention resides in therattachment of 4the housing member 13 to the pan member,4 12, and also concerns the assembly operation by which these members are assembled and connected in the above-mentioned nested relation. ln assembling the parts of the latch device 10 the bolt 15 and the spring 51 are placed in the housing member 13, after which this member is applied to the pan portion y19 from the rear side thereof causing the holes 44 of the side walls 36 housing member to become aligned with the holes 31 of the side walls 25 of the pan portion 19, and to also cause the embossments 45 of the housing member to engage in the locking recesses 32 of the pan member with a snap engagement therein.

The handle 16 is then inserted into the recess 20 with the actuating fingers 56 and 57 extending crosswise of the guideway 14 through the pairs of slots 29 and 43 and with the holes 60 of the edge anges 55 of the handle in alignment with the previously aligned holes of the pan and housing members. The hinge pin 58 is then inserted through the aligned holes to form a fulcrum for the handle 16 and to assist the embossments 45 in retaining the housing member 13 in its fully assembled position on the pan member 12.

The hinge pin 58 can be any suitable pin having a headV When the major components of the latch device 10 are. constructed and assembled in the manner above-described,`

they can be of a relatively simple form and can be rapidly and economically produced as sheet metal stampings. ing members 12 and 13 are connected by means of the hingel pin 58 and the embossments 45, no elaborate assembly apparatus is needed and, moreover, no welding operations need be performed for holding the parts in a connected relation. The elimination of such welding operationsis advantageous because the marring and discoloration usually resulting from such welding operations is avoided, such that the components of the latch device 10 vc an be provided with the desired ornamental nish during the production thereof and will remain in an unblemished condition in the assembled device.

If desired, a key-actuated locking means can be provided for the latch device 10, and is here shown as cornprising a support sleeve 72 having a lock barrel 73 rotatable therein and carrying a locking aim 74. The support sleeve 72 is located adjacent the latch device 10 and is secured in an opening of the door 11 by a clamping nut 75. The barrel 73 is of the cylinder lock type and is rotatable in the sleeve 72 by means of a key 76 inserted into the barrel.

The locking arm 74 is secured to the rear end of the barrel 73 and is swingable by the latter to locate its free end 77 in a substantially abutting relation to the rear end of the forked portion 40 of the bolt 15. When the locking arm 74 is in this aligned relation, retraction of the bolt 15 will be prevented, but when the locking arm is swung to ,its unlocking position 74a of Fig. 2 by means of the key 76, the bolt will be free for retracting movement by the handle 16.

Although this novel latch device has been illustratedV and :described herein to a somewhat detailed extent it willbe understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A latch device for use in a surface opening` of a door; comprising a pan member having a marginal ange l for engagement with the door surface, and a pan portion provided lwith a recess and `adapted to extend into said opening; a hollow housing member mounted on said pan portion externallyu thereof and having a pair of side wall It will also be seen that when the pan and hous-A portions embracing the same; said pari portion, having a pair of side wall portions coextensive with side wall portions of said housing member; said pan portion and housing member also having bottomv walls spaced apart to provide a guideway therebetween; a bolt operable in said guideway; the bottom wall of said pan portion having slot means connecting said recess withsaid guideway; a plate type handle swingable in said recess and having a normally retracted position substantially flush with said marginal flange; nger means on said handle and formed by ange portions thereof; said nger means extending into said guideway through said slot means for actuating engagement with said bolt; and connecting means connecting said housing member with said pan portion comprising locking recesses in one pair of said side wall portions and embossments on the other pair of said side wall portions and having a snap engagement in said locking recesses.

2. A latch device comprising; a body formed by two cooperating hollow pan and housing members having substantially parallel bottom Walls; said members being disposed with said housing member mounted on said pan member on the rear side of the latter and with a portion of said pan member extending into a nested engagement in said housing member; said pan member having spaced side walls and said housing member having side walls lying alongside of the side walls of said pan member; said body having a guideway therein between said bottom walls; said pan member also having a front recess l[therein and a pair of slots in the bottom wall thereguidewayy through said slot means; a bolt actuatable iii Y the other of said members and having a snap engagement of connecting said recess with said guideway; a plate type handle in said recess and having a normally retracted position substantially ush with the front portion of said pan member; said handle having laterally spaced flanges thereon with portions of the anges forming finger projections extending through said slots into said guide way; a bolt actuatable in said guideway by said projections in Iresponse to swinging of said handle; and a transverse pin mounted in said body and forming a hinge pin for said handle; said pin having end portions extending through the side walls of said pan and housing members for connecting the said members, and having other portions extending through and engaged by said flanges for mounting said handle on the pin.

3. A latch device as `defined in claim 2 in which the bottom wall of said housing member has slots therein substantially opposite the slots of said pan member as clearance slots for accommodating the projections of said handle; and in which said bolt has oppositely extending arms lying between the slots of said pan and housing members and engaged by said projections.

4. A latch device as dened in claim 2 in which one of said bottom walls has a deected lug thereon extending crosswise of said guideway toward the other bottom wall, and said bolt has spaced-apart fork arms straddling said lug; and in which a spring effective on said bolt is disposed between said fork arms and seated against said lug.

5. A latch device comprising: a body formed by two stamped sheet metal hollow pan and housing \members having substantially parallel bottom walls; said members being disposed with said housing member mounted on said pan member on the rear side of the latter and with a portion of said pan member extending into a nested engagement in said housing member; said body having a guideway therein between said bottom walls; said pan member having a recess therein and slot means in the bottom wall thereof connecting said recess with said guideway; said pan member having a pair of side walls and said housing member having a pair of side walls embracing and lying against the side walls of said pan member; a plate type handle in said recess and substantially ilush with lche front portion of said pan member; said handle having edge flanges and projection means formed by portions of said anges and extending into said in said locking recesses. l .v

6. A latch device for installationin a surface opening of a door; comprising a mounting plate having a marginal flange for attachment to the ldoor and a rearwardly olset pan portion containing a recess; said pan portion having a pair of side walls and a bottom wall and said bottom wall having slots therein adjacent said side walls; a hofusing telescoped over said pan portion and having a bottom wall, an end wall and a pair of side walls; the bottom Wall of said housing being spaced from the bottom wall of said pan portion to provide a guideway therebetween and having slots therein substantially opposite the slots of the first-mentioned bottom wall; a plate type handle having a normally retracted position in said recess with the front portion thereof substantially ush with the front portion of said mounting plate; said handle having a pair of edge anges and fingers projecting from said anges and extending into said slots and across said guideway; a lug on the bottom wall of said housing and extending toward the bottom wall of said pan portion; a bolt slidable in said guideway and having a portion projecting therefrom through the end wall of said housing; said bolt having oppositely extending armsl lying between the slots of said bottom walls and engaged by said fingers, and also having spaced apart fork arms straddling said lug; a spring located between said fork arms and seated against said bolt and lug; a transverse pin extending through and connecting the pairs of side walls of said pan portion and housing, and also extending through the anges of said handle as a hinge pin for the latter; and other connecting means comprising locking recesses in one pair of said side walls and embossments on the other pair of said side walls and having a snap engagement in said locking recesses.

7. A latch device for installation in a surface opening of a door; comprising a body formed by a pair of connected hollow sheet metal members one of which is a pan member having a laterally extending marginal flange for attachment to the door and a rearwardly offset pan portion adapted to extend into said surface opening and containing a recess; said pan portion having side walls and also having a bottom wall containing a pair of laterally spaced slots; the other member of said pair having a bottom wall and being mounted on and connected with said pan member exteriorly of the latter and on the rear side thereof; said body having a guideway therein and lying between the bottom walls of said pair of members; a bolt slidable in said guideway and having a latdhing portion projecting therefrom; a compression spring in said guideway and urging said bolt therealong in a direction to normally project said latching portion therefrom; a sheet metal handle structure in the pan recess and having a pair of laterally spaced edge flanges extending toward the bottom wall of said pan portion and also having a plate portion which is substantially Hush with said marginal flange when the handle structure is in a retracted position in said pan recess; a transverse pivot pin supported by said side walls and extending across said pan recess and through said edge flanges and forming a pivot means for said handle structure; laterally oppositely extending arms projecting from the sides of said bolt in a substantially right-angle relation thereto; and laterally spaced actuating fingers rigid with and swingable by said handle structure and extending through said slots into engagement with said arms for retracting said bolt; said 7 ngers beingformed by extension portions of saidy edge anges.

8. A latch deviceas. defined in-clairn V7 wherein said bolt has; a longitudinal recess in which said spring is- 1ocated; and `whereinthebottom Wall of said other member has a lug portion yextendinginto said llongitudinal recess land engaged by the outer end of said spring.

References-Cited in the yile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,912 Momm Dec. 13, 1932 8 Halinka Sept. 29, Gleason Jan. 9, Turpinv June 5, Pelcin June 16, Mack Aug.- 18, Troche et al. Feb. 2, Ta'seheetral. Sept. 18, 

